extremely fussy 3 yr old

[kieramays]

help my 3 yr old has a diet that consists of toast cheese and hotdogs apart from the cheese he is getting no vitamins or nutrients. he is a small build and can still fit into 9-12month shorts. I have seen a nutrisionist and a dietician and numerous doctors but still nothing. Is there anyone out there can offer some suggestions.

[noababy]

Welcome to the site !

First of all do a search for fussy, there have been lots of posts in the past few months on this topic with loads of advice!

The best advice I can offer is to start having him prepare food with you. Start small, even helping you cut the veggies. there are little cutters out there with a handle, that cut veggies into a wavy design-perfect for a 3 year old (with your help)
http://www.thekitchenoutlet.com/prod...&cat=29&page=1

Also don't make such an issue about food. Kids try to have some control over their lives and this is the one thing they can control (or try to).They also sense when you are stressed and get even tougher then.

try offering him a choice of 2 things that are acceptable to you. (start with 2 things he likes)

Lost of luck!

[Rachael1]

Hi - welcome to AK.

You will find loads of threads here about ideas for fussy eaters.

But for starters, if he loves toasted cheese, try sneaking sliced mushrooms, canned sweetcorn or cherry tomatoes, even slices of apple (fresh or dried apple rings) in under the cheese. Actually, an easier way to do it (so he doesn't pick it out) is to grate apple and cheese, mix it together, then top the bread so it all melts together. I sometimes do that with chopped up ham too - I suppose you could do it with the veggies above too.

And if he likes hotdogs, try sneaking the veggies in a butty with those too maybe - like fried chopped onion at least. Would he eat ordinary butcher's sausages or Quorn ones (which actually taste a bit Frankfurter-like)?

Hope that helps.

Rachael.x.

[matilda s mum]

welcome to the site. sorry to hear about your little fussy eater.
if he likes toast and cheese, one suggestion would be to first try to get him to make a french bread pizza with you - which is sort of cheese on toast, but with a bit of a tomato sauce in between. I agree with noa's mum to try and get him to help you so that he has a bit of control - he can spread on the tomato paste and grate cheese and sprinkle over the top. you could even cut up hotdogs onto the top of it so that he has something he likes in a new form.

once he eats this happily, a great one is Ak's hidden veg sauce. sort of a ratatouille that you blend up so looks like a tomato sauce for pasta, but has veg in it that you can't see - and he won't know it is there.

it is all little steps but you can then progress to trying him with pasta and the new hidden veg sauce, again with chopped up hotdogs in it so he has something he likes.

then, like the previous suggestion, start triying him with butchers sausages (as contain more meat and less salt than hotdogs) - you never know he might like them

does he like bans? maybe try him on the tins of beans with mini hotdog in.

good luck - and let us know how it goes/ what you try then we can all support/ encourage you - or if all else fails cheer you up!

xx